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Ultraman 60th anniversary Ultraman Day July 10 Japan

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Japan Now! Ultraman Turns 60! Japan Celebrates Ultraman Day (7/10)

japanup_akane 07/09/2026

For sixty years, one silver giant has been saving Earth on Japanese television, decades before superhero universes became Hollywood’s favorite formula. However, most American fans who discovered Ultraman through Netflix’s “Ultraman: Rising” have no idea that in Japan, July 10 is an official holiday for the character, and this year’s is the biggest one ever. The Ultraman 60th anniversary is officially here, and Japan is going all in. Quick Answer: In Japan, July 10 is Ultraman Day, officially recognized by the Japan Anniversary Association. It marks July 10, 1966, when Ultraman first appeared on Japanese TV. In 2026, the franchise…

RAKKAN Ramen summer menu with tsukemen dipping noodles, vegan tantan tsukemen, and a chicken katsu plate

EVENT EVENT AND NEWS IN LA EXPERIENCE FOOD RESTAURANTS WHAT’S HOT

Limited Time! RAKKAN Ramen’s Summer Special Menu

japanup_akane 07/08/2026

The RAKKAN Ramen summer menu is here for a limited time. To help you beat the heat this season, RAKKAN Ramen is serving its SUMMER SPECIAL lineup through September 30. The lineup includes savory Umami Tsukemen and Spicy Tsukemen (tsukemen are Japanese dipping noodles), a vegan-friendly Tantan Tsukemen, and a hearty Chicken Katsu Plate. Do not miss these special summer-only flavors. Check the website for the location nearest you. RAKKAN Ramen https://rakkanramen.com/Instagram: @rakkan_ramen Related Articles Mitsuwa Weekly Ad 2026: This Week’s Specials & Sale Dealshttps://japanupmagazine.com/archives/21703

Shinzo Abe assassination fourth anniversary memorial Japan

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Japan Now! 4 Years Since the Shinzo Abe Assassination, Japan Remembers（7/8）

japanup_akane 07/08/2026

For decades, Japan has been known as one of the safest countries in the world, a place where political violence felt like a relic of another century. However, July 8 marks the day that assumption was shattered: four years ago today, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated during a campaign speech in Nara, an event that shocked Japan and made headlines around the globe. The Shinzo Abe assassination remains one of the most consequential events in Japan’s modern political history. Quick Answer: July 8, 2026 marks four years since former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot while giving…

Japanese pasta in Los Angeles at Takagi Coffee: lobster bisque noodles and mushroom and bacon wafu noodles

EVENT EVENT AND NEWS IN LA EXPERIENCE FOOD RESTAURANTS WHAT’S HOT

Two Luxurious New Wafu Noodle Dishes Arrive at Takagi Coffee

japanup_akane 07/07/2026

Two new Japanese pasta dishes are joining the Takagi Coffee menu in Los Angeles. The lineup adds two flavors: the umami-rich Mushroom & Bacon Wafu Noodles, and the creamy, rich Lobster Bisque Noodles that lock in the sweet umami of shrimp. Both are Japanese pasta made carefully one bowl at a time in-store, with respect for authentic Japanese flavor, and both are worth a try. Hours: ・9am to 7pm (Mon to Fri), ・7am to 7pm (Sat and Sun) Takagi Coffee 8048 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048 323-433-1295Instagram: @takagi_coffee_la1 Related Articles Mitsuwa Weekly Ad 2026: This Week’s Specials &…

Tanabata festival bamboo decorations with tanzaku wishes in Japan

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Japan Now! It’s Tanabata! Why All of Japan Is Wishing on Stars Today（7/7）

japanup_akane 07/07/2026

Every July 7, something magical happens across Japan: train stations, shopping malls, and schools fill with bamboo branches covered in colorful paper strips, each one carrying someone’s handwritten wish. However, here is what most visitors never learn: according to the original legend, today is the only day of the year when two star-crossed lovers in the sky are allowed to meet, and all of Japan is celebrating their reunion at the Tanabata festival. Quick Answer: Tanabata (July 7) is Japan’s “Star Festival,” celebrating the once-a-year reunion of Orihime and Hikoboshi, two lovers separated by the Milky Way. People write wishes…

Sword Art Online Integral Domain new SAO movie 2028 announcement

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Japan Now! New Sword Art Online Movie “Integral Domain” Announced for 2028 (7/6)

japanup_akane 07/06/2026

For over a decade, Sword Art Online has been the gateway anime that introduced millions of Western fans to the idea of living inside a video game. However, ever since the epic Alicization arc concluded in 2020, one question has haunted the fandom: what happens to Kirito and Asuna next? Japan just answered with the reveal of Sword Art Online Integral Domain. Quick Answer: A brand-new original Sword Art Online movie, titled Sword Art Online the Movie -Integral Domain-, will hit Japanese theaters in 2028. It tells a completely original story set after the Alicization arc, with a story concept…

Motoori Norinaga, the scholar who defined mono no aware

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JAPANESE SAMURAI / Motoori Norinaga

japanup_akane 07/02/2026 Samurai

1730 – 1801 本居宣長 Motoori Norinaga The Scholar Who Unearthed the Sensibility of Japanese Culture . If you have ever felt a bittersweet ache at falling cherry blossoms, you already understand mono no aware. This uniquely Japanese sense of beauty was named and defined by one scholar: Motoori Norinaga. Motoori Norinaga, born in 1730 in what is now Matsusaka City in Mie Prefecture, is remembered as the scholar who illuminated the emotional core of Japanese culture—mono no aware, the deep sensitivity to the beauty and sorrow of human experience. His life traces the path of a boy captivated by books who…

Japan heatwave 2026: extreme summer heat warning

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Japan Now! A “Once in a Decade” Heatwave Is Coming(7/2)

japanup_akane 07/02/2026

Summer in Japan is always hot, and most travelers plan for it. However, on July 2, 2026, Japan’s weather agency issued a rare official warning: a “once in a decade” level of extreme heat is expected to hit large parts of the country starting July 8. If you are traveling in Japan this month, this Japan heatwave 2026 alert is one you should not ignore. Quick Answer: The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued Early Warning Information on Extreme Weather on July 2, 2026. From around July 8 (July 9 in the Tokai region), temperatures in Hokkaido, Tohoku, Hokuriku, Kinki, and…

Carine Lantignac, a French artist living in Japan as a foreigner

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I LIVE IN JAPAN / Carine Lantignac / Artist and Cultural consultant

japanup_akane 07/02/2026

Jun 2026 (VOL.224) Carine Lantignac What is it really like to live in Japan as a foreign artist? In this I Live in Japan interview, French artist and cultural consultant Carine Lantignac shares 13 years of life in Tokyo, raising three children and building Mapponica, her art maps made from traditional Japanese paper. What do you do in Japan? I have been going through different phases of adaptations following my family needs, being the prime physical carer of my children I had to constantly find the most suitable solution. I have three children and a Japanese husband, so caring. My…

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Japan Now! BE:FIRST Drop New Song “Missing” at FNS 2026 (6/30)

japanup_akane 06/30/2026

For years, BE:FIRST has been one of the most talked-about boy groups to come out of Japan’s BMSG label. However, on July 1, 2026, they did something that pushed them into an entirely new spotlight: they performed the brand-new song “Missing” on national television for the very first time, on the same night they covered a beloved Japanese summer classic.This BE:FIRST Missing performance instantly became one of the night’s biggest talking points. Quick Answer: At the 2026 FNS Music Festival Summer (FNS Kayousai), the BE:FIRST Missing premiere came at the 2026 FNS Music Festival Summer, where they also performed Keisuke…

Julie Mitrovic, a French coach living in Japan as a foreigner

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I LIVE IN JAPAN / Julie Mitrovic / Coach & Facilitator

japanup_akane 06/30/2026

May 2026 (VOL.223) Julie Mitrovic What do you do in Japan? Can you talk about your job in Japan? I’m a coach and facilitator working with women navigating major life or career transitions. I help them reconnect with themselves and move forward with clarity and confidence, using a blend of somatic coaching and Positive Psychology. I support them in those in-between moments where the old version no longer fits, but the new one hasn’t fully emerged yet. After 10 years working in Admin and HR, I wanted to deepen my impact, so I started a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology…

History LEARNJAPAN POPULAR

JAPANESE SAMURAI / Masaoka Shiki

japanup_akane 06/29/2026 Samurai

1867 – 1902 正岡子規 Masaoka Shiki A Literary Figure Who Revitalized Modern Haiku and Opened New Paths for Language from His Sickbed . Early Life and the Formation of His Literary Interests Masaoka Shiki was born in 1867 in what is now Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture. His real name was Masaoka Tsunenori. From an early age, he loved reading and grew up immersed in Chinese poetry and classical Japanese literature. After the death of his father, he was raised by his mother and grandmother. Although the family was not wealthy, he was fortunate to grow up in a culturally rich…